Evidence of Inter-Professional and Multi-Professional Interventions for Geriatric Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The current demographic shift raises the demand for provision of health care tailored to the complex care needs for older adults. Given the growing number of national care plans and best practice models there is an urgent need to build evidence for inter- and multiprofessional care provision for older people when offered an integrated care approach. The aim of this study was to determine whether an inter-professional or multi-professional care intervention, can improve geriatric patients' health determinants. A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA Guidelines. Databases were searched for clinical trials which compare inter-professional or multi-professional complex care interventions with usual care among people aged ≥60 years, in hospital or emergency care settings. Based on nine studies, inter-professional or multi-professional intervention has no impact on mortality rate but either positive or neutral effects on physical health, psychosocial wellbeing and utilization of health care service. It shows that these inter-professional or multi-professional interventions were feasible. This systematic review highlights the scarcity of evidence showing either positive or neutral impact of intervention based on inter-professional or multi-professional teamwork across care settings on the health determinants among geriatric patients. International harmonization of assessment tools may allow direct comparisons for future interventions.

Keywords: evidence; integrated care; multiprofessional; setting; systematic review.

Figure 1

Flow chart. The flowchart illustrates the search strategy applied to answer the research question outlined. In total 258 studies were identified during the systematic data search (256 in scientific literature, two additional publications by hands-on search). Following qualitative evaluation and screening full text, only nine studies fulfilled predefined inclusion criteria of the study and were further processed in the review process.